Music is an art that touches the depth of human existence; an art of sounds that crosses all borders.
Daniel BarenboimRead
When we talk about music, we talk about our reaction to it. One person might say that music is so poetic, while another says it's all mathematics. Yet another might say it's about sensuality, and so on. That's all true. But music is not just one of these things. It's everything all at once.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Music is a multifaceted experience that encompasses various emotions and interpretations.
In this quote, Daniel Barenboim explains that music elicits diverse reactions and interpretations from different people. While some may view it as poetic, mathematical, or sensual, the essence of music transcends any single description, embodying a blend of these elements and more, serving as a universal form of expression that resonates with the complexities of human experience.
Themes
MusicEmotionInterpretationArtExpression
In practice
Example use cases
A musician might use this quote when discussing the diverse influences in their songwriting.
More from Daniel Barenboim
All quotes →You can't expect someone born into a family with no music... to understand when I'm conducting the Schoenberg Variations.
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For me personally, Elliott Carter was and remains one of the most meaningful composers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries because he represents substance. He was the living proof of uncompromising, complex music, which at first seems inaccessible. But it becomes accessible if one digs in and sees the development through.
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Playing and listening to music gives you a sense of fulfilment because you have to put everything in you at its disposal.
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You have to really have the will to hang onto the first note as it is being played, and then really stay with it and take the flight, as it were, you know, for the duration of the piece.
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The greatness of a musician is measured by the degree of fanaticism he brings to his playing.
Daniel BarenboimRead
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